Multiple compartmented container



J. F. COUSAR MULTIPLE COMPARTMENTED CONTAINER Aug. 5,1969

Filed Dec. 4. 1967 INVENTOR- James A Cousar ATTORME Y avg/z United States Patent 3,459,295 MULTIPLE COMPARTMENTED CONTAINER James F. Cousar, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 4, 1967, Ser. No. 687,664 Int. Cl. B6513 81/32, 1/24, 1/04 US. Cl. 206-47 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A multiple compartmented container with two receptacles concentrically arranged, one within the other. Specifically, an inner receptacle is fixed within a wider outer receptacle; the inner receptacle being taller than the outer receptacle. A cap having internal threads sealingly cooperates with external threads on the outer receptacle and has a slanted top surface band which cooperates with a slanted non-drip pouring lip at the top of the inner receptacle to effect a mechanical seal between the inner receptacle and the cap when the cap is secured onto the outer receptacle. Mixing of two products, one of which is located in each of the receptacles, is effected by pouring. The multi-compartmented container is reuseable.

This invention relates to a container holding two different products which, when mixed together, form a desired end product. This container is hermetically sectioned into compartments by a mechanical squeeze-seal built into the container and the cap and which, in addition, provides a non-drip pouring lip. Spillage or over-flow from one compartment to the other during storage and drip during pouring are thus prevented. Such a container also provides for instantaneous mixing where two products would otherwise have to be mixed in a second container. Provision is also made for forming various compartments having different insulation values which can provide for handling various materials at different temperature levels such as, for example, materials required in storage of rocket fuels.

Accordingly, it is among the objects of this invention to provide a space saving container for two products which should not be intermixed until desired, while providing for uniform mixing of these two materials with each pouring. Additionally, it is an object to provide a container which is reuseable for left over materials and which includes a non-drip pouring lip and a built in seal between the lid and container without requiring other materials to form a separate hermetic seal between the compartments of the container. It is a further object to provide a dual compartmented container which can be insulated to permit handling of different products with varying temperature requirements.

Briefly, the multi-compartmented container of the present invention comprises an inner receptacle fixed within an outer receptacle, the inner receptacle being somewhat taller than the outer receptacle. At the upper extent of the inner receptacle is a peripheral rim having an inwardly slanted lip to provide for drip-free pouring. A cap having internal threads which cooperate with external threads on the outer receptacle also has a central raised portion presenting a slanted surface mating with a slanted lip of the inner receptacle so as to effect a mechanical hermetic seal between the cap and the inner receptacle to prevent intermixing of the components in the two containers while the cap is securely screwed onto the outer receptacle. A double walled inner receptacle 3,459,295 Patented Aug. 5, 1969 can provide for insulation in the event temperature differentials in the products contained in the two compartments need to be maintained.

Yet additional objects and advantages of the present invention are even more apparent when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which like characters of reference designate corresponding material and parts throughout the several views thereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a multi-compartmented container with a closure cap applied thereto embodying the principles of the present invention and partly broken away to show a radial section of the con tainer; and

FIGURE 2 is a view like FIGURE 1 only showing a modified form of the invention wherein the container compartments are thermally insulated from one another.

Referring particularly to the drawings, multi'compartmented container 10 includes a closure 12 and can be made of sheet materials such as metal, certain thermoplastic materials like polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, etc., glass, or any other well-known container materials which are adaptable to receiving products intended to be stored therewithin. The container can be of different configurations, but for purposes of the present description will be circular in its plan view (not shown).

Container 10 as shown includes an inner receptable 14 and an outer receptacle 16. Inner receptacle 14 includes a cylindrical side wall 18 integrally connected with a bottom wall 20. Side wall 18 extends upwardly to an inwardly slanted peripheral non-drip lip 22 which can be generally disposed with respect to the side wall 18 at about a 45 angular inclination for a short distance .relative to the height of the side wall 18.

Outer receptacle 16 has a generally cylindrical side wall 24 connected integrally with a bottom wall 26. Extending inwardly from the upper portion of side wall 28 is a shoulder 28. Extending upwardly from shoulder 28 is at threaded rim 30 having external threads adapted to receive lid 12. The upper extent 33 of threaded rim 30 is below the lip 22 of the inner container 14.

Inner receptacle 14 is preferably aifixed to the outer receptacle 16 by a permanent inner connection (such as by welding) between the bottom walls 20 and 26 of the receptacles 14 and 16, respectively.

Lid 12 is a screw-on cap-like closure adapted to fit over the openings of both receptacles 14 and 16 and has a threaded lower leg 32, with internal threads for mating with the threaded neck 30 of outer receptacle 16. A closing top portion 34 of lid 12 which spans the distance between threaded leg 32 includes a raised center section 36. About the periphery of section 36 is a slanted band 38 presenting an inner surface 39 adapted to mate with the upper surface 23 of lip 22 of the inner receptacle 14. When the lid 12 is threaded onto the container 10 there is formed a seal between the threaded portions 30 and 32 and between the slanted lip 22 and band 38. The mechanical lock between the inner receptacle 14 and the lid 12 provides a hermetic mechanical seal which absolutely prevents the intermixing between products A and B in receptacles 14 and 16, respectively, until lid 12 is loosened. Once surfaces 39 and 23 are engaged, portion 34 starts to press against the upper extent 33 of rim 30 to effect a hermetic mechanical seal therebetween.

Slanted lip 22 prevents dripping when the contents are poured and immediate intermixing of products A and B is accomplished when the container is tipped upside down and emptied. If there are unused portions of products A and B left in the container the lid 12 can be screwed back on and the separation of the products can be maintained until such time as it desired to use the rest of the contents in the container. Likewise, once the container is fully emptied, it can be reused by merely inserting additional products A and B into their respective compartments for storage until a later time.

A modified container 40 is illustrated in FIGURE 2. Container 40 is substantially the container 10 previously described with the exception that the side walls of the container are formed with a double wall. Thus, side wall of the inner receptacle 14 is formed of spaced cylindrical side walls or layers 42 and 44 which are joined together at their lower ends by bottom wall and at their top by lip 22. While a dead air space between side walls 42 and 44 will provide a fair degree of thermal insulation for the product A contained in the inner receptacle 14, a greater degree of insulation can be obtained if an insulation material 46, such as for example glass fiber or polystyrene foam plastic, is included between side Walls 42 and 44.

While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A multiple compartmented container for intermixing two products contained therein upon pouring thereof, said container comprising an inner receptacle fixed generally concentrically within a wider outer receptacle, each of said receptacles having a bottom wall and a side wall, the side wall of said inner receptable being spaced from and higher than the side wall of said outer receptacle and including at its upper end an inwardly angled peripheral lip disposed in a direction towards but short of closing the open top thereof, the side wall of said outer receptacle including a neck at its upper end, the inside of said neck being spaced from the side wall of said inner receptacle to allow pouring through the space therebetween, a lid covering the open tops of both of said receptacles, a rim at the lower end of said lid, a raised section at the lid top of a size adequate to close the open end of said inner receptacle, means sealingly securing said neck with said rim, said lid including a slanted band about the periphery of said raised section and disposed at an angular inclination substantially the same as that of said lip and providing a mechanical seal therebetween when said neck and rim are secured, whereby products contained in said receptacles cannot be intermixed until said lid is loosed from said receptacle and can be poured out at the same time when desired.

2. A multiple compartmented container according to claim 1 wherein said means sealingly securing said neck and rim together comprises internal threads on said neck and external threads on said rim and a pressure fit between a horizontal portion of said lid and the upper extent of said rim.

3. A multiple compartmented container according to claim 2 wherein the side wall of said inner receptacle is double layered with a space between said layers.

4. A multiple compartmented container according to claim 3 wherein thermal insulation material substantially fills said space.

5. A multiple compartmented container according to claim 2 wherein at least some of the component parts thereof are formed of metal.

6. A multiple compartmented container according to claim 2 wherein at least some of the component parts thereof are formed of a thermoplastic material.

7. A multiple compartmented container according to claim 2 wherein at least some of the parts thereof are formed of glass.

8. A multiple compartmented container according to claim 2 wherein said two products which are not to be intermixed during storage but in eventual use thereof are contained therein, one of said products wholly in the inner receptacle and the other of said products wholly in the outer receptacle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,553,589 9/1925 Bargeron 22016 2,070,905 2/ 1937 Justheim 220-16 2,072,630 3/1937 Ferry 220l7 X 2,453,288 11/1948 Walden 220l7 2,759,337 8/1956 Katz 220l7 X GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

